Sealing device



Aug. 3 1926.

1,594,472 B. R. SIMMONS sEALING DEVICE Filed Junp 7, 1923 5613.5. A l n Parental aug. 3, 192e.

UNITED srarss BERNAD RiN'rEL SIMMONS, or ninMINeiiAia, ENGLAND.

SEALING niivicn.

Application filed June 7,

This invention comprises certain improvements in or relatingl to sealing devices, applicable lor sealing` parcels,- boxes, cases, sacks, meters, mains, and other containers, or lor sealing` purposes in general, and adapted lor the use of gas, Water, and electric supply departments, railway, Steamship, and transport companies, bankers, insurance societies, exporters, Wine merchants),` manufacturers, mail order and other stores, lariners, market gardeners', and others.

The object is to provide a sealing device of aparticularly simple and economical construction, particularly secure andV eilective in operation, adapted to besealed Without necessitating the use ci pliers or other tools, and which Whenonce closed and sealed cannot possibly be unsea'led Without being destroyed'or damaged and thereby affording clear evidence' of tampering or unauthorized interference With thev package or container to WhichI fthe seal may have been applied; I

The inventionL consistsl inv a metal seal which isl adapted' to" enclosel and" protect the knot, loop, nail, or othery fastening" con-` necticut-o the string', cord, Wire,imetalband, or the like by which the package or container is secured, slaidnietalse'al being of a tavo-part construction having av snap sealingI connection. advantageously `the metal seal comprisesa pairl of complementary cap-like members', in= Whichs`aid"s'nap sealing` connection is providedby means of an upt-ur'ned 1im on the one inember-engaging-ivithin an inturned rim on the other' member. Alternatively the' metal seal comprises a pair of cinnple'mentary cap-like members, in which* said snap" sealing; connection is' provided by means of a pl'uralityoii small peripheral e'mb'ossmcnts or tangs on the one ineiiilieii-eiiga'ging Withinv inturned rim' on the other iiie'mber.` The inner member maybe further adapted to seat itself Within an annular gro'eyeinthe base of the outer member, orj'ivithin equivalent recesses proi vided inl tlie' rear otta*peripherally` spaced series yoi ii'iteriial embssm'ents" raised from the base ofl said 'oiit'er irremb'ei;

In order' thattli'is invention maybe cle arly understood and readily carried into practice, reference may be hadA to theappended explanatory drawings, upon `which z;

Figure l is an elevation in perspective ci the complementary parts of a metal seal acisa. seriai No. 644,018;

cordins; to one form of the invention fornse with string, cord, or vvire the parts being shown in readiness for sealing assembly.

Fiure 2 is a similar view of the seal as assembled in sealing condition.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevationy of the seal as shown in Figure 2L Figure is a plan of the inte-rior of the seal as shown in Figures Q and 3.

Figure 5 is an elevation in perspective of the complementary parts of a metal seal according to al modified form of the invention for use Withy az metall band', the' parts being shown in readiness for sealing asseni# bly. I

Figure 6' isa similar View of the seal as assembled in sealing' coi'idition. i

Figure 7 is-a sectional elevation' of the seal as showvnin'lclii'gure` 6.Y

Figure 8 is a' plan'of the' interior ofthe' seal as shown' inv F ilgures 6' and' 7.

Figure 9 is a persp'e'ctiye'vieiv ot a further modiiied' form of the' lovver c'ap'lli'ke' inem'- ber. 4 v Y In ak convenientjembodiment of the invention, as applied tov packagesl or containers such are secured' bystring, cord,gor Wire', the metal seal (Figures l' to e) consft of al complementary pair of shalloiv cap-like iiienibersl at and ofl sheet' metal construc- 8 tion and of cylindrical' form. The one or lower' cap-like member a' is: operi at itsfupperend and is closed at itslowerend by means oi a doin"ei-shaped basel; r1 of any eiiternal convexity, Mwhich' domesha'pedi base its piercedvv'ith a pair of circular apertures a2 disposed in a diametrical line one on each side off' the centre. The cylindrical Wall ais olf this lower' cap-like mei'nlo'erv ay issligjlitly in'turn'ed` by a pressingy or like operation to provide ai slight invvard' bead" or flange" a4 around its upper riiri. The other or upper oaplike member b is open( a't its low? r end and isclosed at its upper eindfbly'ineafns" oi" a domeshaped topl 1 of an external con'- 1 f- .,4.v i' ,5 vexity, and the cylindrical Wall b2 oi' this upper cap-like 'member is of' sucha clii'iin'` eter eXternally as toVloe adaptedto tit slid! ably Within tli'eiinvard "bead or flange at ot thel cylindrical wall of tli'e loiver Icap-like member. The cylindrical b2 of `the uppercap-like member is formedwit-han aiini'ilarly disposed spacediapart seriesA of small peripheral embossments or tangsA b3, advantageously three or four in number,

these embossments or tangs being forme-d by outwardly :pressing or punching the metal of said wall atthe desired points.

In aflixing the seal, the ends of the string, cord, or wire c, after being passed around the package or'container,are passed through the aperture a2 in the base of the'lower caplike member a, and are then knotted, looped, or otherwise fastened within the interior of said lower cap-like member al, as shown for example at c1. The upper cap-like member Z) is then slidably inserted within the lower capflike member a, and the two complementary members are pressed together by hand until the external embossments or tangs b3 of the upper member are forced into a snap engagement with the lower member by passing beneath the inward bead or flange a* thereon, in which relative position the two complementary cap-like members a and b are effectively and permanently sealed together, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, as the embossments or tangs b3 are inaccessible and can not by any means be withdrawn from their engagement with the bead or flange a4. Bythis means an effective protecting and sealing cover for the knot, loop orvother fastening connection c1 of the string, cord, or wire c is provided. Such use of the device is applied for sealing an ordinary stringed parcel as will be understood. I In a modified embodiment of the invention, as applied to boxes or containers such as are secured by means of a metal band, the metal seal (Figures 5 to 8) again consists of a complementary pair of shallow cap-like members a and b, of a construction similar to that already described, but the lower caplike member a, instead of being apertured 1n its base a1 is provided with an opposite pair of peripheral slots a5 in its cylindrical wall as, these 'slots a5 being of a width adapted to accommodate the metal band e.

In aixing this form of seal, the ends of the metal band e, after being passed around the box or container, are passed through said slots a5, from opposite sides of the lower cap-like member a, and the superposed ends of said metal band e are fastened together by means of a nail f or the like driven through them from the top and through the base al of the lower cap-like member into the boxvor container. The upper cap-like member b isY then slidably inserted and pressed into a snapl engagement within the lower cap-like member a, as rdescribed with reference to the first embodiment, thereby providing an effective protecting and sealing cover for the nail fastening f of the metal band e. Such device is especially adapted for use for sealing an ordinary banded box.

The upper or inner cap-like member Z), when in its sealing position, may be adapted to seat itself within an annular groove a formed in the dome-shaped base l1 of the lower or outer cap-like member a and disposed adjacent the periphery thereof, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in Figures l to 4, this seating groove a6 providing a means ofv strengthening the construction of the device and further avoiding tampering or unauthorized interference with the seal.

Alternatively the dome-shaped base o1 of the lower or outer cap-like member a may be formed with a peripherally spaced series of internal embossments 6U, Figure 9, advantageously three in number, raised from said base al by a pressing or like. operation, the upper or inner cap-like member being adapted to be seated within the recesses provided in the rear of these embossments a7 adjacent the periphery of the lower or outer member.

The cylindrical walls of the complementary pair of cap-like members a. and b may be substantially equal in depth, so that when in sealing position the top of the upper member b lies substantially flush with the upper rim of the lower member a., as shown in the embodiments illustrated in Figures l to 8.

The complementary members as and I) of the sealing device may be externally plain or of any desired ornamental form, or may preferably be adapted to bear pictorial or descriptive matter, for example a4 name, trade mark, or advertisement, or particulars of the place of origin or date of despatch of any goods enclosed 'within thepackage or container to which the seal may be applied.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A sealing device to enclose a knot or other fastening connection of a string or the like, said device comprising an outer member including a continuous cylindrical wall and a base, in combination witha complementary inner member including a continuous cylindrical, wall and a top, said members being engageable one within the other and having snap sealing means comprising substantially semispherical peripheral embossments on the outer side of the continuous cylindrical wall of the inner member and a co-engaging continuous inturned rim on the cylindrical wall of the outer member beneath which rim said embossments engage, the base of said outer member having a plurality of apertures for accommodation of the ends of the string or the like to be fastened. and the rims of said continuous cylindrical walls being arranged to prevent relative axial play between the said pair of members.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

BERNARD RINTEL siMMoNs. 

